Gas-trap float



IVI. l. TRUIVIBLE.

GAS TRAP FLOAT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1921.

1.422.221. PaIenIed OCI. 17,1922

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Application letl september 29, 11.921. serial No. 50e-,680.'

To all whom t may concern Be it known that l, Minor? J. TRUMBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alhambra, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Gas-Trap Float, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to oil producing equipment and particularly to the construction of gas traps for removing natural gas from the flow of oil from wells. 1

The pressure under which gas traps of this character are required to operate will during periods of surge reach 25() pounds, and it has been customary to construct such floats, as are used for controlling the operation of gas traps, of heavy material to resist collapse during the periods of high pressure. Also it is very diiicult to form a light weight oat that will remain impervious to the oil when being operated under high pressure conditions as the warping of the material of which the Hoat is constructed, due to the great pressure to which it is subjected, causes seam openings which allow the entrance of oil into the float, the presence of which therein decreases the bouyancy of the float and prevents its giving efficient service.

lt is an object of my invention to provide a float which cannot be collapsed by pressure existing within the interior of the gas trap in which it is used.

lt is a further object of my invention to provide a fioat which may be readily cleared of any collection of liquid entering the float due to leakage or other causes.

@ther objects and advantages will be made evident hereinafter.

Referring to the drawing which is for illustrative purposes only,

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a gas trap in which a float embodying my invention is shown.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on a plane represented by the line 2-2 of F ig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through 'the float shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 4c is an enlarged detail section illustrating the manner in which the float arm is secured to the eXteriorly extending shaft supporting same.

The gas trap with which I illustrate the utility of my invention consists of a shell 11 into which oil and gas are delivered through an inlet 12, this oil and gas mixture flowing over a conical hood 13 and entering a receiving chamber '14- in which is situated a float 15 swingable upon an arm 16 which is secured to a hollow shaft 17 extending through the wall 18 so that an arm 19 may be mounted thereupon to actuate a valve 20 through a link 21 and a valve lever 22. The float 15 is composed of light sheet metal 30 and has extending axially therewithin and projecting through the top thereof a tube 31 which is of hook 'formation 32 at the upper end. 'llhis tube 31 furnishes guarded communication between the interior of the lloat and the interior of the gas trap and provides a means through which the external pressure may be transmitted to the interior of the float. l employ the termguarded to designate the manner in which the end 32 of the tube 31 is directed downwardly so that oil splashed over the top of the float 15 will not enter thereinto through the tube 31.

lt will be seen that the condition of pressure upon the interior of the gas trap can and foam collects upon the surface of the` oil in the trap, some times completely filling the space' remaining above the oil level in which case some of the foam will pass through the tube 31 into the interior of the float. Also due to the presence of sand, the

valve 20 might become inoperable with the oat in its lowest position within the chamber 14E. rll`he level of oil thenrising within the chamber 14C would submerge the float 15 due to its inability to rise therewith and oil would enter the oat through the tube 31. Also a slight leakage in any of the seams of the float would permita collection of oil within the interior of the float.

ll provide a simple and expedient means of clearing the interior of the Hoat 15 from all collections of oil by means of tubing 35 which leads from the bottom of the Heat and connects into the arm 16 which is of hollow construction. rllhis arm 16 is secured to the shaft 17, as shown in lF ig. 4, by means of a split block a() which is drilled to provide a passage L11 to coincide with an opening 42 into the shaft 17. rlhe shaft 17 extends through a suitable stuffing box 43 and has lll@ `opening of the va ve 20 an upon its outwardly extending end 44 a valve 45 which is kept normally closed. At certain designated times the valve 45 is opened to allow the pressure existing within the trap 11 to force whatever liquid 1s collected within the bottom of the float to be ejected through the tubing 35 and the assage rovided by the float arm 16 and) the ho low Shaft 17. ln this way the utmost bouyancy of the float is assured at all times as the float may be kept substantially free from interior collections of oil, the wei ht of which would detract from the effectiveness of action of the float in operating the valve 20. l

Under normal operation of the trap the Hoat 15 assumes the position shown in full lines, Fig. 1, in whlch position the valve 20 is partially open permitting a discharge of oil from the trap through pipe 50, the inner end of which extends downwardly into the trap. The gas from the oil collects under thecone 13 and is discharged from the trap through pipe 51. In the event a surge of oil is dlscharged into the tra-p through the pipe 12, the 'loat will assume the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1 due to the rise of oil in the tra resultinfg in a greater a greater disarge of oil until the ratel of flow of the incoming and outowing oil has become equalized.

ll claim as my invention:

l. In gas trap iloat mechanism, the combination of: walls providing a receiving chamber; a float arm withiny said chamber having communication with the exterior of said receiving chamber; a float mounted upon said arm; means associated with said :(ioat furnishing guarded communication be' tween the interior of said oat and the iI1 :Maasai terior of said receiving chamber whereby the pressure existing in said receiving cham- `ger is transmitted to the interior of said oat; and valved means extending from said float to a point without said receiving chamber through which the interior of said float may be cleared of collected liquids.

2. Float mechanism for gas traps comprising: a hollow float arm! within the trap having communication with the exterior of said trap; a Heat mounted upon said arm; means associated with said float furnishingguarded communication between the interior of said float and the interior of said trap whereby the pressure existing in said trap is transmitted to the interior of said float; and tubing connecting between the interior of said float and the interior of said arm whereby collected li uid may be ejected from the interior of sai float by the pressure therein.

3. Float mechanism for gas traps comprising: a hollow float arm within the trap having communication with the exterior of said trap; a float mounted upon said arm; means associated with said float furnishing guarded communication between the interior of said float and the interior of said trap whereby the ressure existing in said trap is transmitted) to the interior of said float; tubin connectin between the interior of said oat and the interior of said arm whereby collected liquid may be ejected from the interior of said float by the pressure exist- `ing therein; and a valve to control the outflow of fluid from the interior of said Heat.

ln testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 23rd day of September 1921.

MILON J. TRULE. 

